Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 175: Meeting the King

A few days passed uneventfully.

Riku was back in his room at the inn, sitting on his futon. He felt a profound sense of peace. A new long-term goal. A secret sanctuary.

However, his peace was disturbed by a noise from outside. It wasn’t the usual village hum. There were many voices, the clatter of armor, and a respectful murmur.

It looked like visitors had arrived.

Riku sighed, pocketing the Seed. So much for a quiet afternoon.

He stepped out of the inn. The village square was bustling. Villagers gathered at a distance. They looked both awed and nervous. In the center stood the Royal Guard. Their silver-and-blue armor gleamed.

And with them, standing near the well, were two figures Riku recognized instantly.

It was King Harius III and Grand Luminar Seraphina. The King looked stunned. Seraphina tried to look calm, but her own surprise showed.

Barou, Lord Gregor, and Lord Arnold stood with them, gesturing to the overflowing granaries and the clear, running water of the irrigation channels.

"In all my years," the King said, his voice low with disbelief, "I have never seen such life. Our largest agrarian towns yield a fraction of this. Barou, how is this possible?"

"We have been blessed, Your Majesty," Barou replied with a proud, beaming smile.

Seraphina nodded slowly. "It is a true miracle. The Light works in mysterious ways." Her eyes scanned the crowd, a knowing glint within them. She was clearly looking for someone.

Riku knew it was time to make an appearance. He walked back towards the church construction sites, where he found his companions.

"Looks like we have important guests," he said calmly.

Lysaria, who had been directing a group of workers, turned. Her eyes widened as she saw the figures in the square. "Sister... Grand Luminar Seraphina! She is here!"

Lila looked from Lysaria’s shocked face to the royal entourage. "The King himself is here?"

Sherry just crossed her arms, her expression wary. "This should be interesting."

Together, the four of them walked towards the square. The crowd saw them and parted. The King’s gaze, and Seraphina’s, immediately fell upon Riku.

But it was Lysaria who moved first.

"Grand Luminar!" she cried out, her voice filled with joy. She rushed forward, forgetting all decorum, and threw her arms around her former mentor.

Seraphina’s stern expression broke. A genuine, warm smile touched her lips as she returned the hug. "Lysaria, my child. Why are you calling me Grand Luminar? Quick, call me Sister."

"Sister..."

"Good. That is how it should be. It is good to see you doing well."

She looked over Lysaria’s shoulder. Her eyes met Riku, who was just smiling at her.

The smile changed. It was now a look of shared secrets and grudging respect.

I know you’re behind all this, you infuriating man, her eyes seemed to say.

King Harius stepped forward, his shrewd gaze assessing Riku. "So," he said, his voice calm but carrying royal authority. "You are the ’Whisper Healer’ I have heard so much about."

Riku offered a polite bow. "I only did what was necessary, Your Majesty."

The King chuckled. "Indeed." He turned to the flustered Lysaria, who now stood beside Riku. A playful glint entered his eyes.

"Vestal Lysaria," the King said, his tone teasing. "You seem to keep... interesting company. A far cry from the hallowed halls of the temple, is it not?"

Lysaria’s face flushed a deep crimson. "Your Majesty, I... Riku is a friend. A good friend."

"A friend," the King repeated, his smile widening. He looked from Lysaria’s flustered face to Riku’s calm one, then back again. He seemed to come to a decision.

He turned to face the entire village, his voice booming across the square. "The old ways have served this kingdom. But they have also bound us. The sacred oath of the Vestals of the Inner Flame... it is a tradition born of a different time. A time of great sacrifice."

He raised a hand, his expression turning serious, regal. "As King, I say that time is over."

"By Royal Decree, the ancient restrictions are hereby amended! From this day forward, the primary duty of our Vestals is to teach, to guide, and to spread the wisdom of the Light. They are free to choose their own path. In life... and in love."

Lysaria stared at the King, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her heart pounded in her chest.

Seraphina stepped beside her, a rare, mischievous smirk on her face. "Well, Lysaria," she whispered, her voice laced with amusement. "It seems the King has given you a most precious gift. I wonder who you intend to share it with?"

That was the final blow. Lysaria’s face, already red, turned the color of a ripe tomato. She let out a small, panicked squeak.

Then, without thinking, she did the only thing her flustered mind could come up with. She spun around and hid behind Riku, using his frame as a shield from the teasing eyes of her King and her mentor.

The King burst out laughing. His laughter was soon joined by Barou, Gregor, Arnold, and even a chuckling Sherry and Lila.

Soon, the shared laughter slowly subsided, leaving a warm, comfortable silence in its wake.

The King wiped a tear of laughter from his eye, his gaze sweeping over the impossible village once more. The good humor faded from his face, replaced by the heavy weight of his royal duties.

"Barou," the King began, his voice serious now. "This village... it is a miracle. Tell me. How have you achieved this?"

Chief Barou stepped forward, his expression proud.

"Your Majesty, our good fortune began with one man." He gestured respectfully towards Riku. "When we were at our lowest when our well was dry and our fields were dust, he came to us. With his unique magical stones, he brought water back to Elowen."

"A single well, no matter how miraculous, cannot feed a kingdom," Seraphina noted, her tone curious, not dismissive.

"You are correct, Grand Luminar," Barou continued, stepping forward. "The well was only the beginning. Master Riku’s true gift was not just magic, but innovation."

He looked at the King. "Your Majesty, what if you could give every farmer, every village, their own small well? A source of water they could carry in their pocket?"

King Harius stared at him. "Gregor, what are you talking about?"

It was Lord Arnold who answered, his statesman’s voice clear and steady. "He speaks of the Lifewell Project, Your Majesty. A plan to combat the famine at its very source."

"Lifelong Project?" King Harius was confused.

He explained the concept Riku had proposed. He described the creation of small, enchanted stones—Water Runes—that could draw moisture from the earth and air, providing a steady supply of clean water.

"We have the means to produce these runes in great numbers," Arnold concluded. "With a proper distribution network, we believe we can end this drought, field by field, village by village."

The King was silent. He looked from Arnold’s earnest face to Gregor’s confident one. The idea was absurd. A portable well? It sounded like a madman’s dream.

"You speak of a water-producing rune," the King said slowly, his voice laced with skepticism. "Show me."

Riku stepped forward. He held out his hand. Resting on his palm was a simple, smooth copper stone, engraved with a complex spiral of runes. It looked like nothing more than a polished river rock.

"This is a prototype, Your Majesty," Riku said.

He walked to a patch of dry, dusty earth near the edge of the square. He knelt and gently placed the stone on the ground.

He channeled a small amount of mana into it. The runes on the stone glowed with a soft, blue light.

For a moment, nothing happened. The crowd watched in silence.

Then, the dust around the stone began to darken. A single drop of clear water beaded on the stone’s surface, then another. The drops merged, trickling down to form a tiny, growing puddle in the dry earth.

The King took a step forward, his eyes wide. He knelt, ignoring the dust on his royal robes. He dipped a finger into the small puddle and brought it to his lips.

It was clean. It was pure. It was real.

He looked at the small, glowing stone, then back at Riku. The skepticism in his eyes was gone, replaced by a dawning, blazing hope.

Healer? the King thought, a flicker of confusion passing through his mind. They called him the Whisper Healer. But this... this was not healing. This was.... magic?

"Unbelievable, this..." the King breathed, his voice trembling with emotion. "This changes everything."

He stood up, his regal authority returning in a powerful wave.

"I am convinced. This Lifewell Project no longer needs to be a private venture," he declared, his voice booming across the square. "It is a matter of royal priority! Of national importance!"

He turned to Lord Gregor and Lord Arnold. "You will have the full, unconditional backing of the Crown. Funds from the royal treasury will be made available. You will have access to any resources you require."

His gaze then fell upon Rennan. "And you, Master Merchant. Your distribution network will be protected by the Royal Guard itself. No guild, no noble, will dare to interfere with your routes."

The King finally looked at Riku, his eyes filled with a new, profound respect. "Master Riku, you have given my kingdom more than just water. You have given it a future."

The Lifewell Project had now become a royal command, a promise of salvation for a starving kingdom.

The small, quiet village of Elowen had just become the heart of the most important undertaking in a generation.

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